


The Power of Valentine's Cards

by scarletsaber (sushibunny)



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Fluff, M/M, Makoto is a Valentine's Day Believer, Meet-Cute, Valentine's Day, haru not so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 05:25:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9307229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sushibunny/pseuds/scarletsaber
Summary: Haru and the boy in the store have very different views on Valentine's Day cards.Maybe Haru can be persuaded to change his mind though as that bright smile is sent his way again.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Was looking for a prompt to write something cute and this is what I found: A hopeless romantic and a single-but-proud meet at a store on Valentine’s Day. The latter is buying Valentine cards ironically, the former buying them sincerely in hopes of getting a date.
> 
> Also if you're on mobile I apologize for the wonky spacing in the italics part. It was either make it look nice on mobile or computer, and since I wrote it on my laptop... Just pretend it's all in a block ;)

Haru flipped through the cards, squinting as the fluorescent lighting glinted harshly off the shiny red hearts on the fronts of far too many options. It was proving harder than he had anticipated to find the worst card available; there were just so many possible contenders. Should he pick an over-the-top sappy one, or one of the ones that were trying to be funny but still fell sadly short?

In the end, he decided to settle on a cheap ten pack with a horribly drawn cartoon kitten offering up a fish- and apparently its love- to the reader, complete with pink and red hearts galore and a cheesy saying. Rin would hate it and Nagisa would think it was hilarious.

Ironic Valentine’s cards: check.

“Ah, do you like cats then?”

Haru’s eyes darted to the side at the sudden voice, going wide when he noticed the tall boy who had managed to walk up next to him at the card rack without him noticing.

“The cards, I mean,” the boy continued when Haru didn’t reply, gesturing to the pack of cards in Haru’s hand.

“They’re alright.” Haru shrugged, turning his gaze back to the cards in his grasp, idly flipping the pack over to check the price.

“I really like them myself,” the boy said, still talking to Haru for some reason he couldn’t fathom. “I’d definitely have one if my siblings weren’t allergic. But there’s a bunch of strays near my house that like me well enough to let me pet them. They’re so cute too, especially this white one…”

Haru raised a brow and tipped his head to get a better look at the stranger who insisted on attempting to hold a conversation with him. The boy looked to be his age, wearing the uniform of a nearby high school. He had olive brown hair that fell into his eyes in a rather attractive manner, not quite covering his kind looking green eyes. Normally it would annoy Haru that the boy was taller than himself- it definitely bothered him when Rin lorded his few extra centimeters over him- but something about the other’s gentle-seeming demeanor made it not irritate him like it usually would.

It probably didn’t hurt that the guy was gorgeous either.

“-and she always rolls over to let me pet her belly too. It’s really adorable.”

Haru blinked. The stranger had kept talking even as Haru shamelessly gave him a once over. He sure could talk, though he wasn’t nearly as annoying as Nagisa with his endless babbling. His voice was kind of soothing, actually.

“Ah, sorry, I tend to ramble. Didn’t mean to talk your ear off,” the boy said, giving Haru a sheepish smile.

“It’s fine.”

“I should probably just pick some cards already, right? School starts soon and I don’t want to be late!”

Haru hummed an acknowledgement, though he couldn’t say he shared the same worry about lateness. School was just what he had to do between time spent with the water, unfortunately.

“Do you, ah, have a lot of people you’re asking to be your Valentine?” the boy asked, eyeing Haru’s pack of cards again.

“Hmm? Oh, no,” Haru answered, not really knowing why he continued to linger in the store. “These are for my friends. As jokes.”

“O-oh, I see…” The boy looked nervous suddenly, rubbing the back of his neck in an anxious gesture as he stared fixedly at the card rack. Haru didn’t have to wait long for him to continue. “I think it’s kind of sweet- the holiday. I mean, giving people that you l-like gifts. It’s romantic.”

Haru just barely held back a groan. _He sounds just like Rin_.

“D-don’t you have someone you like?”

Looking up in surprise Haru met curious green eyes.

“A girl?” The boy tilted his head. “Or a boy?”

Haru frowned. “I don’t need anyone.”

The boy gave a soft smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes- Haru thought it should be illegal. “It’s not about needing. It’s about having someone to share things with. Like… hobbies. And having someone to go places and do things with. Having someone to be happy with.” When Haru continued to look unimpressed, he keep talking. “Isn’t there something you like to do that would be more fun with someone else to do it with?”

“I swim.” Though Haru didn’t necessarily need- or want- anyone else to do it with.

“Really? Me too!”

Haru’s eyes went wide in surprise- and maybe appreciation.

“I swim back, mostly,” the boy said, smiling brightly again and Haru almost had to look away from the shine. “I also swim breast and free, but not as well. Though I don’t think I’m that great to begin with.”

Haru could tell he wasn’t being falsely modest, just honest- though Haru didn't know if that was the real truth or only his poor opinion of himself. “I only swim free.”

“Ah, you seem like you’d be really fast, right?”

There was that damn smile again. Haru looked away, refusing to blush- at least until he heard the airy chuckle coming from the boy.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” His voice was light, but Haru could make out the underlying teasing notes. “I suppose I should let you get to school- Iwatobi, right?”

“Mm.”

“Thought so! I should get going too- Samezuka is still a train ride away. I guess I’ll just get these,” the boy said, grabbing a multi pack of more traditional hearts and flowers designs. “I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t get my siblings something!”

“What about you,” Haru suddenly found himself asking, not really sure why. At the boy’s questioning look he elaborated. “I mean, do you have someone… special?” He wasn’t sure why he wanted to know, but he did.

Haru didn’t think he’d ever seen someone turn so red so fast- not even Rin.

“I, er, I mean… No?” He fidgeted with the cards in his hands for a few moments before looking back up at Haru. “I was planning on just giving out a bunch of cards in hopes of finding someone… It’d just be nice to spend the holiday with someone, you know? And then if it turned into something more, well, then it’d be kinda like it was meant to be, right?”

Haru wasn’t sure about all that, but the idea that this stranger- who was becoming less of one by the second- was desperate enough- or hopelessly romantic enough- to try something like that seemed… wrong to him. An idea began to form in his head, and before he could think better of it, Haru turned to head to the register, the boy following after a moment of surprise at Haru’s sudden move.

He could feel the other’s eyes on him as he paid, though the boy said nothing more, probably deterred by Haru’s silence- much like most people were. Haru thanked the worker with a nod as he collected his change, moving to the side so the boy could make his own purchase before digging in his bag for a pen. Haru opened his newly bought cards and scribbled quickly inside one. Satisfied, he packed the pen and the rest away in his bag and looked back over to see the boy shoot him a curious and perhaps mildly disappointed look before heading towards the door.

Haru walked quickly after him, barely slipping out before the door swung shut after the boy, calling out a hurried “wait” as he attempted to catch up.

The boy stopped, turning in surprise to see Haru there. “Oh, sorry, did you need something?”

Haru’s lips tightened into a thin line before he thrust his hand out towards the boy. “Here.”

Green eyes lit up in shock, hesitating a few seconds before moving to take the card from Haru’s outstretched hand. “Ah, thank you…?” He seemed hesitant and unsure and Haru spun on his heel, heading off in the direction of his school before he could see what the boy would do next.

He had almost made it to the end of the block before thudding footsteps echoed behind him. “Hey, ah- Haru, wait!”

Haru stopped at the sound of his name in that gentle voice, swallowing thickly before turning around. He felt oddly nervous as he attempted to keep his face impassive when he looked up to meet the boy’s eyes.

He wasn’t sure he succeeded.

“I-I just wanted to thank you. That was… Um, here!” Suddenly Haru had a card shoved in his own face, an obnoxiously glittery and shiny monstrosity that he knew he would never be able to throw out. “I, uh, hope to hear from you soon, Haru. Happy Valentine’s!”

The boy turned and ran off down the street towards the train station, shooting a wide grin over his shoulder before he rounded a corner, and Haru’s face definitely went red at that.

It took him a moment to collect himself before he opened the card, lips quirking at the excessively sappy greeting printed inside before his eyes caught the handwritten message from the boy:

 

 _Happy Valentine’s Day Haru!_  
  
_I didn’t expect to get a card from you, so forgive my surprise before._  
_You didn’t seem like you were really interested in what I was saying_  
_in the store, but I guess some people can surprise you! I really want_  
_to thank you for the card, it was sweet, even if you’d probably rather_  
_not be called that! Um, I should finish up before you get too far down_  
_the street- Samezuka has an indoor pool if you want to come swim_  
_some time! I’d really like to see your freestyle ^_^ Call me and we can_  
_make a date, or just hang out! Whatever you like!_  
  
_Thanks again,_  
_Makoto_  
  
_PS- I don’t think I’ll give out the rest of my cards (except to my  
siblings), just in case you were wondering._

 

Haru’s heart beat rather fast as his eyes traced the phone number at the bottom, cursing himself for having left his phone at home- again. He’d have to make sure not to lose the card, because he was definitely going to call Makoto- probably as soon as he got home.

He carefully slipped the card inside his sketch pad before closing his bag again and heading off to school. He would probably be late, and Rin and Nagisa would probably hound him mercilessly about the smile he couldn’t seem to remove from his lips. But that was alright, he knew how to deal with them by now. And besides, nothing could ruin his mood now.

It’s not everyday you got asked out by a boy with access to a pool. And the mesmerizing green eyes and dazzling smile didn’t hurt either.

Who knew Valentine’s Day cards could actually work?

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so _maybe_ I have some ulterior motives for posting a Valentine fic so early.
> 
> And those are to encourage more people to sign up for the [Makoharu Valentine Gift Exchange](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/MH_Vday_17/profile) here on AO3! If you can create drabbles, art, gifs, cartoons, playlists, or vids, go sign up to give a gift and get one in return :)
> 
> Check out the Rules and FAQs on the [event tumblr](https://makoharuvalentine.tumblr.com/) for more details or send in an ask.
> 
> Deadline to sign up is January 16th, so do that asap! If you can't sign up, please encourage your friends to do so instead! The more participants, the more great Makoharu content we all get to enjoy, so really it's in all our best interests if more people join in!
> 
> All gifts will be posted to AO3 on Feb 14th, so look forward to that :)


End file.
